| Keith Country Day School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
| 1 Jacoby Place Rockford, Illinois, 61107 United States |
|
| Information | |
| Established | 1916 |
| CEEB Code | 143706 |
| Chairperson | Vince Zammuto |
| Head of school | Alan Gibby |
| Teaching staff | 35 (as of 2005-06)[1] |
| Grades | PK-12 |
| Enrollment | 343 (as of 2005-06)[1] |
| Student to teacher ratio | 8.8 (as of 2005-06)[1] |
| School Colour(s) | Blue and red |
| Mascot | Cougar |
| Website | Keith Country Day School |
Keith Country Day School is a private, fully accredited, independent, nonsectarian, college-preparatory school located in Rockford, Illinois, USA. It serves students from Pre-School level to 12th grade.[2]
Contents |
Keith Country Day School was founded in 1916 by Belle Emerson Keith.[2]
Situated on a 15-acre (61,000 m2) campus adjacent to Rockford's Sinnissippi Park and overlooking the Rock River, Keith School, as it is commonly referred to, is located at 1 Jacoby Place, on the site of the former Shoudy Mansion and carriage house. The Shoudy family owned three 10-acre (40,000 m2) lots overlooking the Rock River along North Second Street between the Lysander Jacoby House to the north and the park and golf course to the south. Fred and Louise Shoudy, sold their home on the lot adjacent to the Jacoby House to Mrs. Keith around 1920. This property included a tennis court used by the school for many years.[3]
Keith School is divided into three separate schools:
The Lower School which encompasses The Keith Cottage (an early education program for three-year-olds), Junior Kindergarten (students from four to five years old) and Kindergarten through Fifth grade, The Middle School which encompasses Sixth, Seventh and Eighth grades, and The Upper School which encompasses Ninth through Twelfth grades.[2]
The Lower School and The Upper School have separate Heads which are responsible for reporting to the Head of School, formerly known as Headmaster; this title was changed with the appointment of Roberta Ingrassia, the second female Head after Belle Emerson Keith.[2] The school also has a Board of Trustees - a twelve-member appointed board which serves as the governing body of the school. It is comprized of the Head of School, and past and present parents of Keith School students, along with prominent civic figures.[4]
In 1998, Keith became the first school in Illinois to develop a comprehensive laptop computer program. This connected learning environment provides networking laptop computers for every sixth through 12th grade student and teacher, high-speed wireless access to the Internet, an email address connecting every student and teacher, a Lower School computer lab plus classroom computer centers, and a library giving students immediate access to global electronic databases and other resources far beyond the library walls.[5]
Keith School boasts a college-preparatory curriculum with Advanced Placement classes available.[2]
In order to graduate from Keith School students must successfully complete the following courses. Upper School students are required to take five academic courses per semester in English, Social Studies/History, Mathematics, Science, Foreign Language (Latin, French or Spanish), Speech/Communications, Fine Arts (Visual, Performing or Dramatic), Physical Education and Health.[6]
Students are also required to complete two semesters of College Counseling which assists the student with the completion and submission of college applications and writing of college entrance essays, 90 hours of Community Service (as many as 30 may be served at school) and a Senior Project, a student-designed, faculty-assisted program which allows students to experience real-world job situations which are relevant to their intended future career goals. Students must also pass US and Illinois Constitution tests.[7]
Keith School also opens its classes to qualified home-schooled students as a supplement to a 6th through 12th grade student's home curriculum. Students may study a foreign language, add a lab-based science (sixth, seventh, eighth grade, or Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Environmental Science), delve into an AP (Advanced Placement) course in English, U.S. History, Biology, Calculus AB, Music Theory and English, European History, Chemistry, Calculus or explore a music, art or drama class.[8]
Keith School provides its students with the following clubs and activities: Ambassadors Club, Leadership Forums, Amnesty International, Math Counts, Fine Arts Festival, Middle School Chorus, Beginning Band, Middle School Plays, Brownies/Girl Scouts/Cub Scouts, Middle School "Rec Night", Camp Timber-lee, Model United Nations, Certamen - The Latin Quiz Bowl, National Honor Society, Class Plays, International Club, Covenant Harbor, Prom, Dissection Club, SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions), Energy Net, Snow Dance!, Philosophy Club, Environmental Club, Snow Sculpting Team, Field Day, Spanish Clubs, Film Club, Stay and Play (SAP), French Honor Society, Strings, Geography Bees, Student Government, Habitat for Humanity, Ping-Pong/Table Tennis, Homecoming, Upper School Chorus, Honor Council, Upper School Musical, Instrumental Ensemble, Winter Interim, Interact Club, WYSE Academic Team, Intermediate Band, Yearbook, Scholastic Bowl and Junior Achievement. Keith also hosts an annual spelling bee for fifth-eighth graders. The winner of the spelling bee goes on to compete at the state level.[9]
All parents of Keith Country Day School students are members of the Parents’ Association which exists to promote friendly relationships among parents, to acquaint them with the spirit of Keith School, to obtain their cooperation with its objectives for the development of their children and to initiate parents’ involvement in, and support for, projects and functions which aid the school academically, socially and financially.[10]
The Keith Parents’ Association (KPA) also serves the important function of communicating ideas, concerns and support to the administration and faculty of Keith School. The KPA meets once a month to discuss the Association’s fundraising activities as well as extra- curricular events planned and coordinated by its officers and members. The KPA is also an important means of communication to the administration of the school. At each KPA meeting, the Head of School and other administrators submit reports regarding the health of the school. At these meetings it is possible for parents to ask appropriate questions of the administration regarding any aspect of school operations. The officers of the Association stay in consistent contact with the administration and with parents.[11]
Monetary grants are made each year to teachers and school staff members by the KPA for numerous curricular and extra-curricular activities, and the KPA contributes significantly to the Sports, Music and Drama departments in both the Upper and Lower Schools.[12]
Shawn Ryan, creator of the FX television series The Shield and CBS series The Unit.
Kelly Killoren Bensimon, star of The Real Housewives of New York City.
Elizabeth Hanson, one of seven CIA agents killed by Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi in the Camp Chapman attack.